Retaining envelop or cover for storage-battery electrodes.



E. w. SMITH u. GIST EINMETZ;

F OR COVER FOR STORAGE BATTERY ELECTRODES. APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, 19H- RETAINING ENVELO 1,218,329. YatentedMm .6,1917.

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45 The tube 1, has a generally cylindrical wall EDWARD w. SMITH AND-EDWARD G. sTEINMETz', 0F HILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

RETAINING ENVELOPV 0R COVER FOR STORAGE-BATTERY ELECTRODES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWARD W. SMITH and EDWARD G. STEINMETZ, both citizens of the United States, residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Retaining Envelop or Cover for Storage-Battery Electrodes, of which the following is a specification.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a unitary or one-piece tubular insulating envelop or cover having minute pores or crevices which shall have openings of fixed or predetermined size and o relatively large depth in comparison with their size, so that the integral wall in which they are formed shall, by reason of the flexibility and elasticity of the tube, follow without permanent distortion or injury. the radial expansion and contraction, during charge and discharge of the active material with which the tube is filled, and shall resist or restrict disintegration of the active material by work and wash and resist its dislodgment from its original position.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are selected for illustration in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1, is an elevational view of a tubular cover or envelop embodying features of the invention.

Fig. 2, is a'similar view taken at'right angles to the View of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3, is a sectional view taken on the.

lines 33 of Figs. 1 and 2.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6, are side views of covers.

or envelops illustrating modified embodiments of the invention, and

.Fig'. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 77 of Fig. 6.

In the drawings 1, is an insulating tube possessed of the requisite elasticity, strength and non-corrosive or acid resisting properties. Hard rubber is an example of suitable material from which, to make the tube.

provided with sets of pores or crevices 2, preferably elongated and extending circumferentially between ribs 3. size of the openings is-small-in comparison Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 1,1911. Serial No. 636,469.

The width or- Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

figures the ribs 4:, 5 and 6, do-not project outwardly and while they extend generally axially of the tube they are differently ar-. ranged. For example, the ribs in Fig. 6, are spirally arranged and in Fig. 5, the ribs break joint so that there is a short rib first I on one side and then on the other. The gist of the constructionis that the pores or openings shall be small in comparison with the thickness ofthe wall and that the pores or openings shall beheld open by the imperforate portions of the wall, and evidently this can be accomplished by the substitution of openings other than those of the preferred form. The tube may be open at one or both ends for the reception of the active material, or material to become active and for the accommodation of conducting terminal connections. By reason of the straight uncorrugated-or cylindrical form of the wall the tube is generally circularin cross-section and is therefore of the form least subject to deformation. The material of which the wall is made is sufficiently elastic to cause the wall to hug the active material or material to become active. In use a tube of this shape does'not' lose or change its form but confines the active material or material to become active and opposes its tendency toswell'or grow. The width of the elongated minute pores or crevices is exaggerated in the drawings. As a matter of description it-inay be said that for a tube whose wall is 1-32 of an inch thick an elon; ga-ted opening of from 2-100 to 1-100 of an inch or less-"in width is appropriate and in any case the size of the opening is less than the thickness'of the wall. The thicker the wall the greater may bethe width of the pores or size of the openings. The ribs insure the maintenance of the proper and required width or size of opening of these pores or crevices and also hold the rings or sections of the tube together so that the tube remains a unit. The described cover as a whole in use possesses the advantages of a stack .or pile of separate washers between which the electrolyte andcurrent may easily pass andbetweenwhich the sediment may not readily pass, but it is essentially better application or removal of pressure axially o a stack or pile of separate washers.

What we claim is:

1. An insulator and retainer for storage battery electrodes which comprises an independent smooth unitary wall of insulating material provided with minute slots formed material provided with minute slots formed by the removal of material of the wall and the openings of which are of such width that .current and electrolyte may and disintegrated fine active material may not pass through and which openings are held open by the imperforate portion of the wall, and axial ribs integral with the wall.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto 25 signed our names.

EDl/VARD W. SMITH. EDXVARD G. STEINMETZ.

Witnesses:

W. E. GossLINc, H. S. HODSON. 

